Love 2 Learn.net

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Picture Books

Review:

There are indeed a million dots in the book, although the book states it would take over eleven days for the reader to actually count them! On each page one of the dot numbers is highlighted and a large illustration depicts what that number represents. For instance, dot number 265,000 represents the number of different kinds of moths and butterflies on earth, and dot number 615,100 represents the number of words in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Kids and adults alike will like this book. Interesting, fun facts aided by the colorful illustrations over the dots provide a way to better understand how much a million really is!

Reviewed by:

First reviewed:

Mar 27, 2009

Ask Albert Einstein

Author(s):

Lynne Barasch

Number of pages:

40 pages

2005

ISBN / ID:

9780374304355

Publisher:

Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Binding:

Hardcover

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

So maybe your elementary school age child will not learn much Math with this book--the one problem shown involves the Pythagorean theorem and it shows the external tangent line touching two circles--but she may learn a few related things: who is Albert Einstein, why he came to America, where he worked and study, ... and how he actually helped some kids with their Math homework!

My husband enjoyed the allusion to Archimedes in Annabelle's bathtub scene... and my favorite pages in the whole book are the inside pages of the front and back covers: Einstein's own quotes each illustrated with adorable drawings of Einstein doing all sort of things. Here are a couple: "When the solution is simple, God is answering," and. "Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gifts." A very cute story, based on real events, this book enchanted our 10 year old Math-challenged artistically oriented student.

Reviewed by:

First reviewed:

May 01, 2009

Catholic Math Activities

Author(s):

Mary Ann Grobbel

Number of pages:

102 pages

1999

Publisher:

Catholic Heritage Curricula

Binding:

Stapled Softcover

Sample Pages

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

If you're looking for a way to liven up your math program or to bring in some painless math review you have to pick up this book. Catholic Math Activities provides dozens of math games that children actually enjoy playing and almost all of them only require dice and simple home-made material. The author makes use of children's interests by revolving the games around things such as baseball cards and animals. What really pleased me about this program is the clever way our Catholic faith was brought into these games. Some of the games revolve around a short story involving our faith, bible stories (e.g. Noah's Ark and 2 by 2) and simple Catholic sayings to name a few.

I was especially delighted that this book provides games for such a wide range of ages and with a text that is simple enough that an older sibling can read the instructions and then go on to play the game with the younger child. Topping off the program are 40 nicely hand-drawn illustrations of saints. Each saint is accompanied with a short biography and math problems which, when solved, give the child information as to how the picture should be colored. This is definitely a new twist on color by number and one that my children have enjoyed.

Perspective:

Catholic

Reviewed by:

Andrea Chen

First reviewed:

3-9-01

Cuisenaire Rods

Publisher:

ETA/Cuisenaire

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

When I first researched homeschooling products and resources, I spent quite some time looking at different math manipulatives. For one thing, there are so many, and for another, I love math. I remember wondering whether these colored rods would really be worth purchasing, as they are on the expensive side. And my math education, as far as I could remember, had been accomplished without a single manipulative. Then I found Miquon Math, and immediately liked the concept. Miquon uses Cuisenaire rods as their primary manipulative, so with some trepidation, I acquired a starter set. I needn't have worried. The rods made math so much easier for my very concrete, hands-on son to grasp. That was almost a decade ago, and now my youngest enjoys doing his math with the rods. The concept behind the rods is simple. Each rod color is a specific length, representing a particular number of units. White rods are "units" 1cm long, reds are twice as long and represent the number 2, and so forth. A starter set comes with several of each rod from 1-10, with more of the smaller rods. The child then uses the rods in combination to visualize basic math concepts. Perhaps it is obvious that addition can be modeled using such rods, simply by putting them end to end in a "train." However, they can also be used for subtraction, multiplication, and division, and even fractions, areas, and more. Using the Cuisenaire rods, quite young children can understand what multiplication means and can work out simple problems. We actually own a lot of math manipulatives, including both store-bought and homemade ones, but these are the ones I use the most.

Reviewed by:

Suchi Myjak

First reviewed:

5-5-2009

Fun with Roman Numerals

Author(s):

David A. Adler

Illustrator(s):

Edward Miller

Number of pages:

32 pages

2008

ISBN / ID:

9780823420605

Publisher:

Holiday House

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

I showed this book and read it aloud to my kids in Junior Classical League's last meeting, and except for one kid, the club's president and a Latin aficionado, none of us knew about the Roman numerals on the two last pages! Have fun learning!

From the publisher:

Page IV, Super Bowl XLV. Built in MMVIII. Roman numerals are everywhere---on clocks, in books, and on buildings. But what do Roman numerals mean, and how does one use them? Fun with Roman Numerals is a straightforward and appealing introduction to a timely topic. On a scale of I to X, it's an XI!

Reviewed by:

First reviewed:

February 05, 2009

Great Estimations

Author(s):

Bruce Goldstone

Number of pages:

32 pages

2006

Publisher:

Henry Holt and Company

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Supplement

Review:

Reviewed by:

Susan Kalis

First reviewed:

3-17-2007

Greater Estimations

Author(s):

Bruce Goldstone

Number of pages:

31 pages

2008

ISBN / ID:

9781250079619

Publisher:

Henry Holt & Company

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Picture Books

Review:

You may have enjoyed, like we have, Great Estimations in the past. I was happy to find in the library this week a brand new sequel by the same author!

Greater Estimations deals still with estimations, as as the cover says, it deals with greater estimations. Be prepared for some large numbers, and if you read it aloud it may generate some fun discussions! I had lunch today with my friend and neighbor Mary Daly, the author of the well-known homeschool science program entitled The Universe in My Hands, and over some awesome enchiladas after our bishop's pro-life mass we discussed how so few people have a good grasp of how many a million is. Or even one thousand. We went on to estimate the chips in the basket next to the yummy salsa!

Reviewed by:

First reviewed:

January 22, 2009

Learning Palette Mathematics

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Manipulative

Review:

Learning Wrap-Ups, plastic palette and colored discs with self-correcting card sets (This review is based on use of the first and third grade sets).

Actual size is approx. 12 in. diameter This clever learning tool for young children features an almost 12 inch diameter "palette" which holds a double-sided learning card and 12 different colored discs. A clear plastic lid is included. I have been very impressed with how these palettes hold up under a lot of use (and occasional abuse from babies and toddlers). Each card has pictorial equations or problems on one side. The child matches the correct color/shape disc with the answer he chooses. When finished placing all twelve discs, he can turn the card over and correct the answers himself.

Cards are purchased in sets of 12 (a total of 144 problems since there are 12 problems per page). Math sets are available for first through third grade. There are six card sets available for each of these three grades:

Three sets of Numeration Cards: The numeration sets cover all kinds of basic math operations with an appropriate level of challenge and content.

One set of Algebra Concept Cards: First grade algebra card "challenges" include recognizing missing numbers and finding missing shapes. The third grade cards involve solving for the unknown in addition subtraction, multiplication and division.

One set of Geometry and Measurement Cards: First grade cards cover shape names, volume, calendars, telling time and reading thermometers. The third grade set covers includes problems regarding perimeter, area, geometric forms and terms, simple graphing and units of measurement.

One set of Probability and Statistics Cards: These cards cover topics like "more and less likely" and tallying in the first grade set. The third grade set provides practice in the relationship between fractions and probability, determining the likelihood of an event and using the data from charts to draw conclusions.

I am very impressed with the level of challenge and variety of topics covered at appropriate age-levels (they meet the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards). We have found these particularly nice because they offer mental stimulation while taking a break from writing-skills (which can be very taxing on children in the early grades). For example, we used these with my third grade son last year as a supplement to MCP 3rd Grade Math. Some days he would just do Learning Palettes for his Math assignment. (In addition, I had him spend some time doing mazes and other fine-motor skill building activities.) He didn't do every page of the MCP book - instead I let him test out of some of the chapters (he had to achieve a very good score in order to skip the chapter - naturally we had to discuss some concepts as they came up on the Learning Palettes as well).

Investing in the entire line of Learning Palettes can be rather expensive. The Palette itself is about $15 and each card set is $10 (you can buy grade-level groupings of six sets for a little less). I found this investment to be quite worthwhile since the product is non-consumable (and quite sturdy). The material is very straightforward and well thought-out.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

7-7-05

Learning Wrap-Ups: Basic Math Introductory Kit

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Grade / Age level: